Circle Line Sightseeing Cruises - New Year's Eve Fireworks Cruise

Shearwater is a classic Newport-style schooner yacht, only recently recognized as a national landmark in 2009.  The vessel was built by Rice Brother Corporation in East Boothbay, Maine, back in a time when yachting was a rare combination of elegance and adventure; Rice Bros. were well known for building luxury pleasure yachts and produced some 4,000 hulls over a period of 64 years. The keel was laid down on January 4, 1929 and a news clip from the Boothbay Register reflects alongside a photograph "Tyler Hodgon at the old Tide Mill is getting out timbers for the schooner to be built at Rice’s. Vessel to be built of native white oak." Traditionally built from hand-hewn native white oak, she was the last boat to be constructed at that yard - likely due to the ensuing Great Depression brought on by the Stock Market Crash that occurred later that autumn.  East Boothbay was a small coastal town with shipbuilding being its only industry. About 40 workmen were employed for the construction of SHEARWATER. Her designer Theodore Donald Wells was born in Hudson Falls, N Y on October 22, 1875. He was a naval architect and marine engineer, a member of the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers and also the Institute of Naval Architects London. His education included post-graduate work at the University of Glasgow in Scotland. He began his career as a member of the firm Herreshoff and Wells, N. Y. City in 1902. Working with Herreshoff no doubt had an influence on his designs, which bear similarities to many of the famous Herreshoff designed yachts of that time. From 1903 to 1907 he worked for Wintringham and Wells and then began practicing his profession under his own name. Mr. Wells joined the Navy Department in March 1917 and became Superintending Constructor of the Baltimore District U. S. N. Notable yachts designed and constructed under his supervision are "Viking" a 272 foot steel motor yacht built for George F. Baker in 1929 by Newport News and "Karina" a three masted schooner built for Robert E. Tod in 1932 by Staten Island Shipbuilding. Mr. Tod was a well-known offshore yachtsman as was his former yacht ‘Thistle", which competed in the Emperors Cup ocean race. SHEARWATER was launched on May 4, 1929 and photographs in the Boothbay Register reflect her graceful and elegant lines. Her first Captain, Leon Esterbrook of Edgarton, MA, arrived to take charge of the fitting out. Her owner Charles E Dunlap was a member of the Seawanhaka Corinthian Yacht Club, Oyster Bay, NY and this became SHEARWATER’s first homeport after her completion in late September 1929. It was there in Oyster Bay that she first started to thrill those who sailed in luxury aboard her and those who were privileged to crew her on race day. Since her launching and documentation in Lloyd’s Register of American Yachts in 1929, she has had a colorful history and has been carefully maintained and restored to standards that few contemporary vessels are able to match and is truly a piece of American Maritime History. On November 7, 1942 SHEARWATER was requisitioned by the War Shipping Administration and became a member of The United States Coast Guard’s Coastal Picket Patrol during World War Two. She was painted gray and bore the numbers CG67004. Based at Little Creek, Virginia she patrolled the waters east of the Chesapeake Bay entrance and south towards Cape Hatteras. Her skipper during that period reflected on how they used their free time while out on submarine patrol to race against other yachts and in his own words "sailed in tandem with the schooner Lord Jim, racing in and out of port, up and down the east coast and winning." She was designed and built as a gaff rigged schooner but during this period was changed to a Marconi rig. She carries over 2,550 square feet while under full sail. A true veteran world cruiser, she first transited the Panama Canal in July 1946 and in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s completed a two and a half-year global circumnavigation. In December 1971 Mrs. John B. Thayer of Rosemont, wife of a former trustee and treasurer, donated SHEARWATER to the University of Pennsylvania’s Institute of Environmental Medicine. She was used by the university as a laboratory for research on physiological responses to the stresses of living and working underwater. Captained by James Shearson, she was fitted with compressors, generators, monitoring instruments and a small decompression chamber. She has participated in many Ancient Mariner and Classic yacht races in U S waters as well as racing in the Bay of Islands in New Zealand while on her circumnavigation in the early 1980’s. It is rumored she was once dismasted in the famous Newport to Bermuda race. She was last raced by the current owners in San Diego in May 1995 in the American Schooner Cup and finished second overall. She entered the yacht charter industry in 1966 whilst on the West Coast sailing to the Channel Islands and was again used to generate income to keep her shipshape while owned by the University of Pennsylvania. During the chartering industry’s infancy in the Caribbean, SHEARWATER was known as the " Queen of the Fleet". Today she continues this tradition offering the most unique sailing experience and has passed rigid Coast Guard inspections and can carry up to 49 passengers. We welcome you to join us for an excellent opportunity to experience the ambiance of a vintage sailing vessel while delighting in the splendors of The Manhattan sky-line, the Statue of Liberty or the beauty of the oceans beyond.

Want an entirely different NightLife experience? Get involved in the VIP nightlife Tour Tickets include: Express entry into the Academy and access to NightLife event 30-minute private reception and two complimentary cocktails per guest Complimentary light bites  A one-hour, behind-the-scenes tour with private viewing of the Vault—home to highlights of the Academy's renowned gem and mineral collection Interactions with Academy researchers in the Project Lab A reserved pass for the 8:30 pm Planetarium show Anyone yearning to geek out inside a multimillion-dollar science museum with the added bonus of booze should head to Golden Gate  Park on Thursdays for NightLife at the California Academy of Sciences. Since 2009, the Academy has stayed open late once a week to give the 21+ crowd full run of the place, with an ever-changing series of themed events and several temporary bars spread throughout the gigantic building. Entertainment / Music Multiple DJs and/or live bands performing in a variety of styles tied to the night’s theme, from house to swing to everything else under the sun. One hundred thousand square-foot museum packed with incredible exhibits, aquariums, a replica of a rain forest, and the largest all-digital projection screen on the planet in the planetarium. Food / Miscellaneous Food stands offer a handful of snacks and entrées that can change weekly but usually include items like pork buns, chicken with fries, and vegetarian dishes. Private lounge available for rental. What to Wear / Dress Code Casual to trendy: everything from white t-shirts and jeans to dolled up duds. Hot Nights / When to Go Only open on Thursdays, but patrons should arrive early to avoid the lines and to check out the rainforest, which closes at 20.00.

Tour Stops Bus Route: 1. Central Station 2. Amrath Hotel 3. Windmill/East 4. Artis Royal Zoo 5. Gassan Diamonds 6. Jewish Historical Quarter 7. Royal Theatre Carré 8. Heineken Experience 9. Museum Square/Rijksmuseum 10. Vondelpark 11. Westermarkt Boat - Blue Line: 1. Saint Nicholas Church 2. National Maritime Museum 3. City Hall 4. Golden Bend/Herengracht Boat - Green Line: 1. Central Station West 2. Passanger Terminal 3. Gassan Diamonds 4. Hermitage Museum 5. Albert Cuyp Market 6. Rijksmuseum/Leidseplein   Passengers can hop-on and hop-off at any of the tour stops along the three routes. If you’d prefer, stay on the tour for a full loop: Bus Tour – 60 – 75 minutes Boat Tour – 60 – 120 minutes Additional Information: Vouchers must be printed to be exchanged for a City Sightseeing bus ticket in location The audio commentary is available in the following languages: English, Spanish, German, Italian, French, Portuguese, Chinese, Japanese, Russian, Catalan, Dutch, Arabic, Hebrew, Swedish Buses are wheelchair accessible  

There are 6 color coded course that get progressively more challenging as you go:
Green = Minimum Elevation/Minimum Skill
Blue = Medium Elevation/ Medium Skill
Silver = Advanced Elevation/Medium Skill
Red = Advanced Elevation/Advanced Skill
Tickets and Height Requirement Notes Kids 7-11 Children on these courses are required to be able to reach the tips of their fingers to a height of 4’7″ (140cm) while keeping their feet flat on the ground Junior 9  Height Requirement: Adventurers on the Junior Course are required to be able to reach the tips of their fingers to a height of 5’9″ (175cm) while keeping their feet flat on the ground. Adult 12  Height Requirement: Adult Course adventure seekers are required to be able to reach the tips of their fingers to a height of 5’11” (180cm) while keeping their feet flat on the ground (An adult 18 must accompany any minors 12-14 on the Adult courses) What To Wear Long hair MUST be tied back so as not to get caught on any equipment.  Sturdy closed-toed sport sandals/shoes/boots are required and should be worn securely.  NO jewelry. Necklaces/bracelets can get caught in equipment.  Avoid loose clothing. Fitted apparel, worn tight to the body is best to climb. Note: Guests not wearing the appropriate clothing may be refused access to activities to ensure that safety guidelines are met.   DON’T FORGET WAIVERS: Please fill out your waiver so you can experience the thrill of our tree top adventure. All Climbers must have signed waiver. UNDER 18: Waiver must be signed by a parent or legal guardian.  SAFETY EQUIPMENT- Climbers must have a 44 inch waist or smaller to be able to use our required safety equipment. WEIGHT LIMIT There is no weight limit to participate on our courses.

Athens half day tour begins with a panoramic drive around Syntagma square, passing by National Garden, Hadrian’s Arch, St. Paul’s Church, Parliament, Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Catholic Cathedral,and Schliemann’s House. You will then drive past the Athens Trilogy which includes the University of Athens, the Academy of Athens, and the National Library. Your licensed guide will explain more of Athens’s history old and new as you look at these stately buildings. Continue for a photo stop at Panathinaiko Stadium where the first Olympic Games took place in 1896. It is the only stadium built out of white marble. Proceed, passing by Zappeion and Temple of Olympian Zeus. Make your way to the archaeological site of Acropolis an UNESCO’S world heritage monument and visit Propylae the monumental entrance to the Acropolis which blends Doric and Ionic building principles, and the small temple Athena Nike, which stands on a protruding mass of rock, protecting the gate to the citade and of course the Parthenon, and Erechtheion with its porch of Maidens. With this half day tour you will enjoy one of the top UNESCO'S world heritage monuments, Acropolis.  

This Grand Canyon National Park South Rim VIP Tour by Adventure Photo Tours takes you from Las Vegas to the most famous area of the Grand Canyon where, from the most picturesque viewpoints of all, you can view the widest and deepest portions of the Grand Canyon! Photo stops en route include Hoover Dam, the Route 66 Museum, and Locomotive Park.  At the South Rim, stops include Mather Point, Yavapai Point and Bright Angel Point with additional free time to browse the Bright Angel Lodge and gift shop. This tour features a full three hours in the national park and the option to walk the Rim Trail, "the most beautiful walk in the world", where you can romantically picnic and stroll along the 2½ mile paved trail from Mather Point to Yavapai Point and then to Bright Angel Point. If you prefer, you can stay with your tour guide and ride to the viewpoints in our luxury 7-passenger 4x4 SUV, 12-passenger VIP mini-coach, or custom 14-passenger VIP touring class mini-coach. Our professional and entertaining drivers/guides captivate passengers with a wealth of information on the Grand Canyon and the wonderful American Southwest.